Members of a dozen households on the north shore are accused of defrauding federal food assistance programs by failing to report income that would have disqualified them from receiving help, authorities said Tuesday.

St. Tammany Parish deputies arrested 16 people on charges of fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud last week, following an investigation by the state Department of Children and Family Services, according to a release from the department.

The 12 families improperly received a total of $200,000 in benefits, including money from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - more commonly known as food stamps - as well as other federal programs designed to provide aid to children and families, according to the release.

In all those cases, the person who applied for benefits did not reveal that their spouse received enough income to disqualify the family from the program, according to the release. In four of the cases, investigators determined the person's spouse had also conspired to defraud the program, the release said.

The department will be seeking restitution in these cases, according to the release.

The following people were arrested as a result of the investigation:

* Lionel Duplessis of Covington is accused of defrauding SNAP of $14,617

* Jennifer Sanders of Mandeville is accused of defrauding SNAP of $19,103.

* Kendra Bates, of Ponchatoula, is accused of defrauding SNAP and Child Care Assistance Program of a total of $10,766.

* Deborah and Charles Walgomotte of Slidell are accused of defrauding SNAP of $21,238.

* Michelle Harvey of Slidell is accused of defrauding SNAP of $12,463.

* Marquita Rattley of Slidell is accused of defrauding SNAP and the Child Care Assistance Program of a total of $22,054.

* Kristal Wilcox of Mandeville is accused of defrauding SNAP of $14,669.

* Cynthia Graham of Covington is accused of defrauding SNAP of $7,307.

* Sherilyn and Timmy Pursley of Slidell are accused of defrauding SNAP of $11,685.

* Angle Clay of Pearl River is accused of defrauding SNAP and the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program of a total of $6,031.

* Kelly McDaniel and Kyle Gaines of Pearl River are accused of defrauding SNAP and the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program of a total of $15,288.

* Alphonse Young and Deonte Richard of Slidell are accused of defrauding SNAP and the Child Care Assistance Program of a total of $42,318.